Can Trail Cameras Read License Plates?​

January 20, 2025 ︱ By Willfine

Trail cameras have proven to be incredibly useful for wildlife observation and security purposes, but when it comes to reading vehicle license plates, things become more complex. Currently, there is no trail camera on the market that is specifically designed or optimized for reading license plates with high accuracy.

However, with the advancement of technology, this could change in the near future. Let’s take a closer look at the challenges and how Willfine can help address these limitations.

The Challenge of License Plate Recognition

License plate recognition (LPR) involves capturing the clear and legible image of a vehicle’s license plate at a certain distance. In theory, it seems possible for a trail camera to capture a license plate, but there are several key factors to consider:

1. Resolution: One of the most important factors in reading a license plate is image resolution. For a camera to capture clear, readable details, it needs a high resolution. Standard trail cameras typically range from 12MP to 24MP, which may not be sufficient to clearly read a license plate from a distance. Higher-end trail cameras with resolutions above 20MP or 36MP would have a better chance, but the plate’s distance from the camera and the angle of the shot would still play a role.

2. Field of View and Distance: Trail cameras typically have wide-angle lenses to capture as much of the surrounding environment as possible, but this also means that the camera’s field of view can be too broad for identifying a small detail like a license plate. Most trail cameras are not designed to focus on distant objects with the precision needed to capture a license plate legibly. While they may be able to capture the vehicle, the plate might be too blurry to read.

3. Trigger Speed and Focus: Trail cameras generally have a fast trigger speed to capture quick-moving animals, but the focus is typically set for a broad range rather than a specific target like a license plate. Even if a vehicle enters the camera’s range, the motion may be too quick, and the camera’s focus may not be sharp enough to capture the plate clearly.

4. Night Vision: Many trail cameras come with infrared (IR) lights for capturing images at night, which is useful for photographing nocturnal animals. However, infrared lighting does not always work well for license plate recognition, especially for the detailed, high-contrast letters and numbers on a plate. IR lighting can sometimes cause overexposure or unclear details, making it difficult to read the plate, even if the image appears bright enough.

How Willfine Can Help: Strong R&D Capabilities

While standard trail cameras currently can’t read license plates, Willfine has the expertise to address this challenge. We’ve previously developed advanced recognition systems, such as species identification, which demonstrates our strong R&D capabilities.

With this expertise, we can quickly adapt to new needs, including integrating license plate recognition into trail cameras. Although this is a complex task, our engineering team is capable of developing solutions that can read license plates, even under challenging conditions like varying lighting and angles.

Additionally, Willfine offers a broad range of outdoor camera solutions, from security cameras to birdwatching cameras, thermal imagers, and smart telescopes. We are ready to provide tailored solutions for any outdoor monitoring requirement.